Switch.



H. W. CHENEY.

SWITCH. 4

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20. 1909.

1,177,016. Patented. Ma,1-.28,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.H. W. CHENEY.

SWITCH.

APPUCATION HLED bmi-20,1909.

Patented Maf.' 28, 12H6. s SHEETS-SHEET s.

@mm/WM sneeuw DELWAEE.

To all "whom it may concern.:

Be it knovvn that l, .HERBERT lW. CHENEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lvisconsin, have invented certain nev and 'useful improvenients in Switches, of which the following is a full, clear7 and exact specification.

This invent-ion to improvements in switches and particularly in oil switches.

One of' the main d' ects of mi" invention is the provision of may he employed with saf in buildings such as textile Works containing highly inflammableq 3 the provision or' :in oil Y.nclcsore hating a cover ed so as to expose the Contact mechanir'n the interior of the inclosure' diseonne from the line or supply conductors,ond"

which can be removed or again placed back on the main or body portion ol the nclosnre only when the switch is open.

In carrying;` ont one part of my invention l provide a switch having a novel form of quick make-and-break operating mechanism by which the switch is both opened and closed with a snap action.

Invent-ion further resides in the provision of fuses in the inclosnre of the switch and preferably in the cover, the fuses being removable with the cover and being adapted to be connected to or disconnected from the line terminals and the Contact terminals or mechanism when the cover is placed in' position or removed.

ln carrying ont another part of my inven tion, l provide switcn mechanism in the form of a self-contained unit which so conn @lisation filed November 20, .1.909.

structed and supported in the inelosure that j it can he removed as e whole after the cover Patented Mier. 23S., imite?.

serial No. seance.

is removed and the Contact mechanism is disconnected from the current supplying or line conductors.

As another important feature ot' my invention l provide interlocking ports on the cover and operating mechanism oi the switch, these parts preventing removal. and restoration ot' the cover except when the switch is in open position. Thus by proriding a construction wherein the cover is removable only when. the switch is open and having mer-.ns for. disconnecting the line terminals from the switch when the cover is removed, there is practically no `danger of a short circuit occurring'or of the operator being injured w ien the parts on the interior of the inelosure aire exposed.

novel features of construction and arrangen ments of parts which will be described in the specification and set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is had to the accompanyingl sheets of drawings wherein- Figure l is a vertical sectional View along the irregular line l-l of Fig. 2 looking in 'the direction indicated by the arrows through a switch constructed in accordance vvitli the preferred form of my invention. Fig'. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the saine substantially rioni! the irregrnlnr line 2 2 of Fi. l looking' in the direction indicated hy thc arrows, the movable parts of the operating mechanism being shown in elevation and other parts being omitted for the salie of clearness. Fig. 3 isa top plan View of the switchyzith the cover removed and with portions broken away for the sake of clearness. 4 is :t sectional View of part of the operating mechanism substantially along the line .Li-4c of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the figures of the drawings, it will be seen that l have provided a switch having an inclosure consistingof a main. or body 'portion 'l0 forming a tank adapted to contain oil and to receive the Contact mechanism, and o cover l'l which may be removed from the main portion l0 and may be clamped down onto the top of the latter by means of latches 1Q which are pivoted to the cover by links i3 connected to the latches and adapted to engage soitable. lugs lllon opposite sides of the tank.

70 My invention also resides in certain other The body portion 10 of the inclosure is provided on opposite sides with lateral extensions 15 and 15 on which bars of insulating; material are supported as will be explained presently, and through the bottom of which the leading-in or line conductors and the leading-out7 conductors are adapted to be brought, these extensions having for this purpose in the lower portions thereof centrally located openings 1G and 1G through which the conductors to be referred to presentlvu extend.

The contact mechanism and other parts of the operating' mechanism are supported upon ay cast metal frame 1T which is provided with a pair of side bars 1S and 1S extendine' alone' two sides of the tank and with a cross bar 19 connecting' 'the side bars. This frame 17 is supported on the body 10 ofthc inclosure b v four integral ears or lugs Q0 shown most clearlv in Fie', 3` which lues proicct outwardlv from the side bars 1S and 1S and rest upon suitable bosses provided adjacent the top of the body portion of the inelosure. The frame may be held in posit-ion by dowel pins Q1, which extend from the. top edQe of the body 10 of the inelosure and through open-ings in the laterallv projecting' ears 20. 1n Fig. 3 of the drawings` l have shown in plan view two such dowel pins which extend through openings lin two diagonally opposite ears 20. These doivel pins not onlv holdin position and center the supportingy frame 17 but permit the latter. toficther with the nuchanism supported thereby, to be readily lifted fromv is supported upon a pair of rods "23 and Q3 extending between the lower portions of the end plates 2Q and 9'2": these rods simportine:` in this case. a plurality of pairs of contact, frames Q4 cach of which consists of two parts Q4 and Q41 which are clamped about thel rod bv screws 2l-c. these contact frames beine separated from the rods bv insulation The contact frames are provided at their upper faces with contacts '26 adapted to be engaged bv movable contacts to be referred to presently. and eaeh of the frames supported on rod 23 has clamped thereto a` contactl terminal rod 27. and each of the frames supported on rod 23a has clamped thereto a contact terminal rod ZTR have here shown a three-pole switch; consequently there are three pairs of stationary contact frames and contacts and three movable bridging contact members, each adapted to bridge. one pair of stationary contacts. The. movable ienta'ct mechanism is supported on a vertically movable horizontal rod 28 havingr secured thereto, in this case, three yokes 29 which are clamped to the rod by caps 29 and screws 25)". Each yoke is provided with a pair of movable contacts 30 adapted to bridge a pair of stationary contracts :26, each pair of movable contacts being pressed yieldingly downward by a leaf spring 3l. and beinen connected together by a flexible conductor 3L).

Supported in bearings 3" v and 325 on opposite side bars of the supporting' frame 1T is an operating shaft 3iwhich extends through a. bess-like extension 37 on one side of the frame, the free end of the shaft passing through an annular opening in the side of the inclosure, half ofthe opening' being formed in the top of the body portion 10, and hal-t' in the adiafent portion of the cover. The shaft 34 has secured thereto a pair of cranks 3G and 3G to' which are pivotally secured links 23T and ST, the lower ends of which are loosely connected to the cross rod 2S carrying the movable contacts. These cranks and links transmit the movement of the ope 'ating` shaft-34 to the cross rod Q8. and in order that the latter may be guided and be given vertical movement, the end plates *22 and 2'2" are provided with vertical-slots 3S and 38th and these slots receive with a sliding lit cross heads 39 and 39 which are secured to the ends of the cross rod QS. Thus it will be seen that if the operating` shaft 34, is rocked in one di reetion the cross rod and movable contacts will be lowered and the. switch will be closed. and if the shaft is rocked in the opposite direction the mo 'able contacts will be raised and the switch will be opened.

At the outer or free end of the shaft 34 is an operatiingT handle l-ln. The shaft is not rocked directly by the handle but I have provided a simple but effective form of quick make-and-break operating mechanism which will cause the shaft and the movable Contact mechanism to be shifted with a snap action, and this operating mechanism will now be explained. The handle 34e is loosely mounted on the shaft 3l so that it may move relatively thereto,y and is connected by interlockingr portions to a member ,40 also loosely `mounted on the shaft but movable with the handle. this member 40 being; provided on its inner side with an inwardly extending` pro- Iiection or tongue 41. Secured to the shaft between the bearingr 33 and the member 4() and spaced a shortdistancc from the latter.

tongne 41 and pin e3 ere located between the free ends of the sprinff. Cooperating with this member 42 and pivotallj.' mounted on the side har 132 of the supporting trame are two pziwls or latches lo and having nose portions adapted to engage respectively in the notches fifi and s4 and having at the lower portions lateral or outwardly projecting pins 47 and 47g' which are connected together by s coil spring i8 shown :most clearly in Fig, fi. this spring)f serving to press the upper nose portions of the pewls toward the notches of the member 'Normolly one of the pswls engages one of the notches of the memher 42 and es shown in Fig. i pawl 46? engages notch 44a, and is will appear presently. prevents the operating shaft being moved to the left or in s clockwise direction, when the parts are viewed es in Fig. 4, until after it has been shifted from the notch 44a. r:Che operation of this part of the mechanism will now he explained. lf the handle is moved'in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, the end ot the spring which engages the left side ot' the tongue 41 as viewed in Fig. e, will he moved in a clockwise direction, while the other end of the spring, hecanse o'" its engagement with the lnger i3 of meml'aer is held stationary, this member 43 also beingheld stationaryv hecanse oi the engage ment oi the pewl 46 in the notch All. Energy will thus he stored in the spring hy this movement of the handle and otter the latter has been moved a predetermined distance the intel-alliT projectingv tongue ell strikes the pin 7a of pziwl il-ia :ind shiits the latter from the notch lei-"1 otter which the spring l5 in 'which enerey was stored hy the movement of the handle turns the memlxer 42 and the operating shaft, with e snap action in the same direction that the handle was moved. This in .vement oit the operating' shaft causes the switch to he closed with a snap action. ln e. similar manner it thc handle is moved in a counter clockwise direction. energy will first he stored in the spring;- .pend e'iter a predetermined movement .ot the handler pnwl 467 which was shifted ii fo engagement with the notch A dui-ineF the previous movement of the member 42, is released 'from the notch 1+ihy the engagement of the tongue 41 with the outwardlyY projecting1r pin 47 of piiwl, with the result that the operating: shett will he rocked hy the spring with a quick movement end the'msi ich will he opened with n snap action. rhis opening and closing ot the switch with a snep action reduccs meinel to a minimum end renders 'the use of" the switch comporatircl.. eren in l'iuildings haring inilomi'nolile met mi To limit the rolume of current through the switch and to avoid thc nec sit)v for fuses arranged in the open exterior time to the switch, Il provide tures on the interior of the inclosure and their varrangement and manner of connection will. now he explained. These fuses, one of which is provided. for each conductor oit the syst-em, are shown at 49.. fi-a and 49h, and, as will he seen, are errenged in the cover 11 of the inclosure and are adapted to loe removed with the cover and to he disconnected from the switch and contact terminals when the cover is removed. its will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2 of the d swings, the fuses are clamped between insulating blocks 50 end 50"L which are secured to pistes 51 Jhastened hy screws 52 to the un derside of the cover 11. T he fuses are adapted to be connected to the line terminals and lto the switch or Contact terminals respectively when the cover is placed in position, :ind tohe disconnected from the line and switch terminals when the cover is removed, by two sets of spring jaws 53 and 5 4. The jews 58 nre secured at their bases by screws s to a wooden or other insulating' cross har 3G which extends between the side hars 18 and 18a ofthe supporting frame 17 und is secured to suoi side hars hy screws 5i'. T he spring jews :ii-e secured at their bases hy screws tcni wooden or other insulating cross oar :'39 also extending hetween the side i rs 18 and 18 of the supporting frame 1T, this har 59 heine' secured to the side hars hy screws 60.

To the lower ends of the screws 55 which secure the jaws to the supporting har 56 and are electrically connected to these jaws are secured metal blocks (il which engage spring jews 62 of metal blocks 63 which are secured hy bolts Gli to e wooden or other insulating supportinghar 65 which rests upon suitable shoulders formed oy the extension 15 of the ame or inclosure. The .bolts G4 form terminal bolts to which ere secured the terminals of the line conductors which carry the current between the source of current and the switch, or the lending-in ll conductors es distinguished from the conductors which carry the current between the switch and the electro-receptive device or devices. These conductors which are shown et G5, are

brought into the inclosure through the open-l ings 16a in the bottom of extension 15..

The lower ends oi holts 58 which secure the spring jews to the insulating,r support and ere electrical connected to the jaws, are connected :it 'their lower ends to the terminal conductors 27a which, stated before, are clamped and ere electrically connected to the stationery contact trames 2l mounted upon the supporting rod 23=. The terminal conductors Q7. which -are connected to the Contact frames Z-'imounted upon the supporting rod ere connected at their upper ends to hloclzs il? which src secured by screws 38 to the nnderside of the insulating snp- 'porting har Si). and these oloclrs 67 engage a switch which is extremely spring jaws `69 of metal blocks which are sel cured by terminal screws 70 to a wooden or in conductors above described. Thus it will be seen that when the cover 1s 1n place and the fuses engage and are electrically connected to the jaws 53 and 54, current passes from the conductors GG to the terminal screws 64, to the spring jaws G2, to the blocks 6l and screws 55, to thc spring jaws 53 through the fuses to the jaws 54, thence by screws 58 tothe conductors 27, thence through the coperating stationary and movable Contacts (assuming that the switch is closed) to the conductors 27, and thence to the blocks 67, spring jaws 69, and screws 70 to the leadingout7 conductors 72.

It will be seen that if the cover is removed the contact mechanism of the switch is disconnected from the line or current supplying conductors G6. In order that the contact mechanism may not be exposed by the removal of the cover when the switch is closed, 1 have provided means which prevent the removal of the cover unless the switch is open, and this will now be explained. By referring particularly to F ig. 1 it will be seen that the cover is provided with a downwardly extending lug or ,projection 73 which is provided with aY lateral recess or notch'74. 'The shaft is provided just below this projection 73 with a locking member 75 at the upper end of which is a hooklike lateral projection 76 which, when the switch is closed, enters the recess or notch 74 so that the members 73 and 75 interlock. Vhen the switch is opened, the end 7G of the member 75 is swung to one side or out of the notch 74.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the entire switch operating mecha.- nisin. including the contact mechanism and operating mechanism is a self-contained unit which can be removed as,a whole from the tank without disturbing or interfering with the terminals of the conductors which carry the current to and from the switch. 1n order that the switch may be readily lifted from the inclosure when the cover is removed a suitable bail or handle 77 is provided, this bail being connected tol the operating shaft 34 shown clearly in Fig. 3. Thus it will be obvious that l have provided safe and reliable and is particularly adapted for use in buildings containing highly inflammable material.

Not only does the quick make-andbreak mechanism render the arcing at the contacts small, but the volume of current passing disconnected from the contact mechanism of the switch when the cover is removed, but it is impossible to remove or replace the cover unless the switch is open. In this manner the danger of.the operator short circuiting any of the live parts or Vpractically eliminated.

The fact that the entirey switch mechanism can be removed as a unit without disturbing the conductor terminals is a valuable feature for the reason that the switch can be cleaned or repaired much more conveniently and With less dange-r to the operator than with the present construction of switches. This is true particularly inasmuch as the contact mechanism is by the removal of the cover disconnected from the line or current supplying conductors and is renrh` d dead before the switch unit is removed from the tank.

`What l claim as new and by Letters Patent is l. 1n combination, in a wvitcl.V movable and stationary contact members, an operating shaft for the movable Contact members, said movable and stationary contact members beingr suspended from said shaft and bodily movable therewith, an operating handle mounted on the shafty and .movable relatively thereto, a spring having operative connections with the shaft and handle, a pair of pawls each acting at times to temdesire to secure Iporarily hold the shaftl against movement while the handle is being moved a predetermined amount and energy is being stored in the spring. and means movable with the handle for tripping said pawls so that the shaft will be turned and thel switch will be opened or closed with a 4snap action.

2. 1n combination, in a switch, movable 'and stationary contact members, an operatofbeing injured is Y Leoncio one of the notches so as to bold tbe shaft against movement while the handle is moved a predetermined amount in one direction and energy is stored in the spring, and tbe other pawl the other notcli and holding tbe i `inst inoveiaent 'when the handle is moved in tbe opposite direction and energdir is stored in 'tbe g, said e serving to member movable" tbe bai i trip the pavvls that the .witch will. opened or closed with snap a ftion,

3. in a snf'itob.: tbe combination of an inclosure adapted to contain insulating lnid, a supporting frame removably mounted witliin said inclosure, ce'iperative movable and stationary Contact members and operat ing mechanism therefor carried by said frame, said contact members being normally suspended in insulating Huid in said inclosure, a removable cover for said inclosure, line terminals disposed within said inclosnre and above tbe normal inid-containing por-- tion thereof, detachable connections between said line terminals certain of' said stam tionary Contact members, Vand cooperative interlocking members associated with said cover and said operating mechanism, said interlocking members preventing tbe removal ot said cover when the switch is closed, and said frame., Contact members and operating1 mechanism therefor being removable from said inclosare as a unit when the cooperative contact members are in circoitopen condition and the cover removed, and said detacbabie connections being broken on removal of said unit from said inclosnre.

el. In a switch, tbe combination of an inclosure adapted to contain insulating fluid, 'switch mechanism removably supported in position in said inclosnre and including co operative relatively movable contact ineinbers and operating mechanism tbe-rotor in the forni oi a self-contained unit, said contact members being normally suspended in the normal iluid containing portion of said inclosurc, line terminals within said inclosnre and above tbe normal liuid-cmitaininjg portion thereof, detachable connections be tween said .line terminals and certain oi' said Contact members, and means operative to insure that said Vmit is removable from sai-l inclosure only when. tbe coperatie Contact members are in circuit-open condition, said detachable connections being broken on tbe removal of said unit from said inclosnre.

5. ln combination, in a switch, in closure, a removable switch unit comprising movable and stationary contact members and switch operating mechanism, condiictor ten niinals extending into tbe inolosure, a noir of fixed insulating supporting Inars along the sides oi tbe. inclosnre, a, plurality oie members supported on said bars and respectively connected to tire conductor terminals, said members and said stationair" j Jaws, and a plurality of L ri linbers snpnorted b v said iraine and connected to stationary conta-cts, said last named members. engaging in said jaws whereby the nnitmay be removed Without disturbing tile terminals,

7. in a switch, the combination of a receptacle, a switch unit comprising fixed and movable contacts and operating mechanism therefor, said switch unit being removably mounted in said receptacle, a cover for said receptacle removable therefrom independently of said switch unit, line teriniiiais mounted in line" position relative to said receptacle, and detachable connections arranged in series-cimnected groups between 'tbe several line terminalsand corresponding ones of said switch contact, cegain of said detachable connections benin;r brolreiiby removal of said cover from said receptacle and others 'ot' said detachable connections being broken by removal of sait switch unit from said receptacle.

S. in a switch, a receptacle, a removable cover therefor, a '[.ilnralitv et relatively iXed contacts, a frame for supporting said fixed contacts, a plurality ot relatively movable contacts, means for actuating said movaole contacts into and out of engagement with said -iixccl contacts, said means comprising an operating shaft from ivliicb said iixed contact supporting frame and said movable contacts are suspended. conductor terminals supported on said traine and insulated thereiroin, and fuses mounted on said cover and adapted to connect said terminals when the cover is in place on said receptacle and to disconnect tbe same when said cover is open,

said switch and actuating means and said conductor terminals being' bodily removable from said receptacle as a uniti 9. in a switch, tlie combination of a receptacle having' a removable cover, a frame mounted in said receptacle and comprising two oppositely disposed members, fixed contacts supported in operative position by said members, a. removable contact member comprising :votre and bridging,r contacts mountled thereon and adapted to engage said fixed contacts, means for reciprocating said movable contact member connorising a shaft r0- tatably mounted in said frame and a toggle connection between said volte and said shaft, said sliait and said cover being provided with interengaging members adapted to prevent the removal of said cover while said switch is in closed position, and detachably engaging contacts mounted on said frame and said cover for causing the switch-parts to become dead when the cover is removed, said frame with its fixed and movable contacts and operating mechanism therefor be.

ing removable from said receptacle as a unit when said cover is open.

l0. In a switch, the combination of a receptacle, a switch unit comprising relatively movable contacts and operating mechanism therefor, said switch unit being removably mounted in said receptacle, a cover for said receptacle removable therefrom independently of said switch unit, line terminals fixed in position relative to said receptacle, conductor terminals supported by said switch unit, certain of said conductor terminals being associated with certain of said switch contacts'and others of said conductor terminals being detachably connected to certain of said line terminals, fuses mounted on said cover and serving when said cover is in position on said receptacle to detachably conneet pairs of said conductor terminals, the detachable connection between said fuses and said pairs of conductor terminals b eing broken on removal of said cover from said receptacle, and the detachable connections between said line terminals and said annoio conductor terminals being broken on the removal of said switch unit from said receptacle.

11. In a switch, the combination of a rfeceptacle adapted to contain insulating fluid, a switch unit comprising relatively movable contacts and operating mechanism therefor, said switch unit being removably mounted in said receptacle with said contacts occupying the normal Huid-containing portion' thereof, a cover for said receptacle remov able therefrom independent-ly of said switch unit, 4line terminals and detachable connections between said line terminals and certain ones of said contacts mounted in said receptacle above the normal fluid-containing portion thereof, and means for insuring that the circuit through said contacts is broken prior to removal of said unit from said receptacle, said means comprising a detachable connection in series with said contacts 

